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The Bellevue Rail Cart Assembly Facility was delivered for the Government of Western Australia Public Transport Authority as part of the state’s expanding rail infrastructure program.

The facility required a high-performance industrial slab capable of accommodating heavy assembly loads, maintaining tight crack control, and delivering long-term durability with minimal maintenance.

To achieve these objectives, a Dramix Combi Slab solution was adopted — combining conventional mesh reinforcement with high-performance Dramix 4D steel fibres.

The Challenge

The project presented several critical design requirements:

  • High load capacity for rail cart assembly operations
  • Efficient slab design to optimize materials and construction program
  • Controlled nominal crack widths across the entire facility
  • Reduced long-term maintenance requirements
  • Durable performance in a demanding industrial environment

Traditional mesh-only reinforcement was assessed but did not provide the same level of performance efficiency and crack control required for the asset lifecycle expectations of a government infrastructure project.

The Solution – Dramix Combi Slab

The adopted Combi Slab system incorporated:

  • Conventional steel mesh reinforcement
  • Dramix 4D high-performance steel fibres

This hybrid reinforcement approach delivers the reliability of mesh with the enhanced post-crack performance and multi-directional reinforcement of steel fibres throughout the concrete matrix.

Through careful engineering design and detailing, a nominal crack width was applied consistently across the facility — ensuring structural integrity, durability, and visual consistency.

Performance Outcomes

Superior Crack Control
Optimised Structural Efficiency
Enhanced Post-Crack Behavior
Reduced Maintenance Risk

Project Result

The Bellevue Rail Cart Assembly Facility now benefits from:

  • A durable, high-performance industrial slab
  • Improved constructability and installation efficiency
  • Long-term asset resilience
  • A technically robust and visually consistent floor system

The Dramix Combi Slab solution delivered a modern, engineered alternative to traditional reinforcement — aligning with the performance, durability, and lifecycle expectations of the Public Transport Authority.

Reinforcement Solution:
Combi Slab – Mesh + Dramix 4D Steel Fibres

Supplier:
BOSFA – Champions of Sustainability

The new Kiwi Rail Locomotive wash slab in Christchurch was designed to be watertight without any joints. Dramix 5D structural steel fibre was used to provide additional capacity in the foundations and was also used in the slab to design for a nominal crack width of 0.2mm.

The new Perth BUSPORT required a water tight raft slab. BOSFA were able to support the design engineer’s BG&E to produce calculations for their nominated crack width.

The major components of this project constructed in Forrestfield, Western Australia for
Western Power consists of three large bund areas which are designed with a crack width criteria
of 0.2mm, this was achieved by using a combined reinforcing method of DRAMIX
steel fibres and traditional reinforcing.

Project Completed in 2012

Detailing the slab with joints to guarantee avoiding uncontrolled cracking under service stresses wouldn’t have been possible. The Dramix® 4D Combi Slab solution took this restraint into account and enabled the construction of a joint free floor.
Hamilton, NZ

For the same crack width design, the use of one layer of mesh (7.5mm wires at 150 c/c transversely and 100mm c/c longitudinally) plus Dramix®, resulted in a cost effective solution that was simpler and quicker to construct.

A conventionally reinforced solution would have required 2 layers of reinforcing bars to ensure a crack width of 0.2mm.

To achieve the same crack width, the Dramix® Combi Slab solution only required one layer of bars plus Dramix®. A simpler, faster and more cost effective option to construct.

Leakage of containment bunds can be an issue and costly to put right. Typical design and construction has sealed joints and expensive water stops. However, if the bund cracks outside these control points then there commonly isn’t enough reinforcing to control them to acceptable levels. Alternatively, heavy top and bottom reinforcing can be used to reduce the number of joints, this is expensive and difficult and time consuming to construct.

TYPE OF APPLICATION:
Joint free liquid tight slab

2012:
North Island, New Zealand

This project required a joint free watertight slab to support tanks containing water and fertilizer. This required a crack width calculation of 0.2mm.

SA Water engaged SMEC Engineering to design a 400m long flood channel to cope with a high water flow of 20m/sec. A channel of this size poses numerous detailing and construction issues, however the adoption of the Dramix Combi Slab solution ensured simplification of the traditional steel, removal of water stop joints, allowed for a quicker construction programme and met the required crack width requirement of 0.2mm.

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